What's the problem with having one m3 file that contains multiple meshes? You can separate a mesh anytime in Blender with hotkey 'P' in Edit Mode.
While one mesh can have exactly one material it's still possible to assign a mesh a composite material. This way you can have a model which has multiple textures layed over each other. I would guess however, that using too complex composite materials is bad for performance. Blizzard uses composite materials mainly for the high resolution models of the campaign cutscenes. So my recommendation is to have one model m3 file that contains multiple meshes.
For those who don't have clicked "watch" at the m3addon page: It's now possible to create m3 forces with Blender that influence m3 particle systems.
For example you can make the particles rotate around a unit, or make a point attract particles. Particle systems and forces have "channels". If a particle system and a force share a channel then the force influences the particle system.
In the "bone properties tab". It's only visible when you have selected a bone. The value is called "unapplied scale" and can be found at the bottom of the attached screenshot. I don't know yet how exactly this scale deforms the mesh. That's the main reason why I the addon doesn't appy it yet. If you can describe me how to apply this scale setting manually I think I should be able to have it automatically apply it on importing.
Did you have a look at my new video tutorial (see first post of this thread)? For the start it should be enough if you simply set the image path for the diffuse layer like chaos2night suggested.
Is the reexported model also wrongly deformed? If yes then a unvisualized scale setting is the cause. This unvisualized scale setting can be found in the bone properties tab when you have selected a bone.
I added two video tutorials. One explains how to prepare Blender so that it's suitable for making m3 models and the second tutorial explains how to make the static mesh.
It seems like the normals get flipped. As a workaround you can do the following:
1. Import the model
2. Select the flat area of the sign.
4. Switch to edit mode
5. press space and search for "flip normals".
6. Switch to object mode, otherwise your changes won't get exported
7. Export
What's wrong with the screenshot? I can't watch the original model with that much details enabled (my graphic card is to bad :().
I just added support for importing and exporting some uv material layer properties. It might fix your problem if it's UV related.
If it crashes if you rename the original m3 to m3a and import it
If it crashes if you export everything as an m3a (including materials, mesh etc.)
If it still crashes when you ensure that it does not contain any animations that already exist in the original. e.g. by deleting all animations except one which you rename to a new name.
I just readded support for models without a tight hit test. (Like portraits and models exported with earlier versions).
Via a new button in the "M3 Tight Hit Test" panel the tight hit test bone can now we created or selected.
I just added a very important feature: Shapes for hit tests. There are now two new panels "M3 Tight Hit Test" and "M3 Fuzzy Hit Tests".
The shape of the "tight" hit test gets used when SC2 checks if an unit is within the cursor selection box or not.
When a "fuzzy" hit test shape is specified then SC2 will use it for checking, if a mouse click hit the unit or not. Not specifing "fuzzy" hit test shapes can be bad for the perforamnce. Thus it's a good idea to specifiy at least one "fuzzy" hit test shape that has about the same size like the unit.
Edit:
About importing only parts of a model: Not possible via UI yet, but planned.
If you are interested about the ribbon progress, just have a look at the changelog or the structure.xml file.
I will be away for a week, so don't wonder if I don't reply.
Is it at a place where you would expect a sharp edge? Currently the importer does not connect vertices that have different normals in order to preserve the sharp edges.
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@chaos2night: Go
What's the problem with having one m3 file that contains multiple meshes? You can separate a mesh anytime in Blender with hotkey 'P' in Edit Mode.
While one mesh can have exactly one material it's still possible to assign a mesh a composite material. This way you can have a model which has multiple textures layed over each other. I would guess however, that using too complex composite materials is bad for performance. Blizzard uses composite materials mainly for the high resolution models of the campaign cutscenes. So my recommendation is to have one model m3 file that contains multiple meshes.
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For those who don't have clicked "watch" at the m3addon page: It's now possible to create m3 forces with Blender that influence m3 particle systems. For example you can make the particles rotate around a unit, or make a point attract particles. Particle systems and forces have "channels". If a particle system and a force share a channel then the force influences the particle system.
@RanchBurner: Go
What do you think about my video tutorials? Would it be of great help to you if I convert the remaining text of this tutorial to an video as well?
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@SoulFilcher: Go
In the "bone properties tab". It's only visible when you have selected a bone. The value is called "unapplied scale" and can be found at the bottom of the attached screenshot. I don't know yet how exactly this scale deforms the mesh. That's the main reason why I the addon doesn't appy it yet. If you can describe me how to apply this scale setting manually I think I should be able to have it automatically apply it on importing.
0
@RanchBurner: Go
Did you have a look at my new video tutorial (see first post of this thread)? For the start it should be enough if you simply set the image path for the diffuse layer like chaos2night suggested.
@SoulFilcher: Go
Is the reexported model also wrongly deformed? If yes then a unvisualized scale setting is the cause. This unvisualized scale setting can be found in the bone properties tab when you have selected a bone.
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I added two video tutorials. One explains how to prepare Blender so that it's suitable for making m3 models and the second tutorial explains how to make the static mesh.
@chaos2night: Go
The strange mesh of the Ultralisk model is propably a special effect which shows when it attacks
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@SoulFilcher: Go
It seems like the normals get flipped. As a workaround you can do the following: 1. Import the model 2. Select the flat area of the sign. 4. Switch to edit mode 5. press space and search for "flip normals". 6. Switch to object mode, otherwise your changes won't get exported 7. Export
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@RanchBurner: Go
What are the steps to reproduce this error? Can you please provid me with a full stack trace? You can copy it from the command line window.
@SoulFilcher: Go
What's wrong with the screenshot? I can't watch the original model with that much details enabled (my graphic card is to bad :(). I just added support for importing and exporting some uv material layer properties. It might fix your problem if it's UV related.
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@SoulFilcher: Go
I tried to remake the marine wave animation with the newest version of the m3addon and it worked. Which model are you trying to animate?
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@SoulFilcher: Go
You could try:
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@SoulFilcher: Go
I just readded support for models without a tight hit test. (Like portraits and models exported with earlier versions). Via a new button in the "M3 Tight Hit Test" panel the tight hit test bone can now we created or selected.
0
I just added a very important feature: Shapes for hit tests. There are now two new panels "M3 Tight Hit Test" and "M3 Fuzzy Hit Tests". The shape of the "tight" hit test gets used when SC2 checks if an unit is within the cursor selection box or not. When a "fuzzy" hit test shape is specified then SC2 will use it for checking, if a mouse click hit the unit or not. Not specifing "fuzzy" hit test shapes can be bad for the perforamnce. Thus it's a good idea to specifiy at least one "fuzzy" hit test shape that has about the same size like the unit.
Edit:
About importing only parts of a model: Not possible via UI yet, but planned.
If you are interested about the ribbon progress, just have a look at the changelog or the structure.xml file.
I will be away for a week, so don't wonder if I don't reply.
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@SoulFilcher: Go
The import of the ultralisk and mothership should work now.
EDIT: The CastanarUltraliskSevered_02 model looks to me identical to the original after reexporting with my graphic settings.
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@SoulFilcher: Go
When you add the camera via "+" button of the "M3 Cameras" button Blender should automatically create and select the corresponding bone.
How did you create the camera?
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@chaos2night: Go
Is it at a place where you would expect a sharp edge? Currently the importer does not connect vertices that have different normals in order to preserve the sharp edges.
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@chaos2night: Go
Your error messages sounds like you are using Blender 2.62 instead of 2.63.